Chasing Ghosts
by SevenGate
Summary: He was dead. Booth saw him die, watched as his last shuddering breath left his body. Yet here he was, standing right in front of him... *warning! Contains Bones season 6 spoilers!*


***Warning! Contains Bones season 6 spoilers!***

**So, I am way behind on Bones but , after someone (unfortunately) spoiled it and told me Nigel-Murray dies, I HAD to do this. I couldn't resist! This is my first time with a Bones fanfic, so te characterization might be a little off, sorry! I did my best and I hope you like it!**

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"Dr. Temperance Brennan." The anthropology Professor concluded. Her lecture was over, and with that he brought it to a full close. Dr. Brennan felt a small glow of pride as the students clapped, hastily scrawling any last minute notes down**. **

"Thank you for having me." she said, smiling politely. It wasn't exactly that Dr. Brennan was in a hurry to leave, (because she could talk about the methods of age and race differentiation all day) But she had promised to call Booth after the lecture and, like always, he had gotten impatient and she felt her phone vibrate from within her coat pocket. As She gathered her notes and, head held high, made for the door she noticed him waiting outside.

"I thought you were going to wait at the hotel?" Dr. Brennan hissed, stalking out to the parking lot. Booth caught up easily, smiling guiltily.

"C'mon, Bones, this is New York!" He announced, as though she didn't already know, "We should go sight seeing, check out the city!"

"Why? I've been asked to attend lectures here many times. I have to get back to the lab."

"Hey, a little more fun, a little less Squint. What's there to do around here?"

"Booth, if you're trying to cheer me up, then don't bother. I'm fine. It's been months. People die, and Mr. Nigel-Murray is no exception. "

"Hey," Booth growled, his voice shockingly cold, "I may not of known him very long but he was my friend. Don't talk about him like some defected piece of lab equipment." He paused, surprised that his hand had somehow made it's way up to rest on her shoulder. "You said _is._" he informed her, his voice a tad gentler, dropping his hand to his side.

"What?"

"you said _is _instead of _was._" Dr. Brennan blinked, thinking back and realizing he was right. She dropped her eyes from his and started walking again, making her way to the car. Usually she would argue for the right to be the driver but today she silently got into the passenger seat.

"There's a bookstore I'd like to visit..." Dr. Brennan said casually. She noticed his grin as he got in. Perhaps she was being selfish, but having Booth tag along made her feel strangely...important. She couldn't help wanting him to accompany her.

" Just tell me where to go." he said, still ginning as he turned the key in the ignition. They drove in silence for a while, save for Brennan occasionally telling him where to turn. She'd been to New York many times, and the directions to her favorite book store have been long since engraved into her memory. She idly wondered if Booth would be bored. He was never one for reading, because he preferred action and reality. Dr. Brennan tried to explain that he could read non-fiction if he wanted reality, but he said that would be horribly boring. Normally she'd be insulted, seeing that the books she's written, though they are realistic-fiction, would fit into his 'horribly boring' category. It was Booth, though, and Brennan occasionally noticed him reading them When he thought she wasn't looking. It somehow made Dr. Brennan smile knowing that, when Booth did read, He read something written by her.

"Turn here." she said, pointing at the busy intersection up ahead.

"Where?"

"Here!" his tires scraped on the pavement as we twisted at the last second into the right lane.

"A little sooner, Bones!" He cried, letting out a shaky sigh.

"Sorry. Here, park here." She pointed at the bookstore, hidden among the other shops lining the sidewalk. The car glided along before carefully parallel parking right before the door. Dr. Brennan gently organized her notes into a stack, making sure they were safe before getting out. Booth hopped out and slammed the door, making the small rental car rock slightly. He glanced around.

"So where exactly are-" He stopped mid sentence.

"Booth?" he had this look on his face, staring wide eyed at something across the street.

"It's..HEY!" and with that Booth took off, sprinting right into traffic.

"Booth!" Brennan shouted, wincing as a taxi swerved to avoid him. With no other choice she chased after him, running into the road.

"Sorry," she called to the driver, "FBI, official...business." Booth could see him clear as day across the street, just standing there. Why? Booth wondered if he had imagined it but as he got closer he was certain. Short black hair, scrawny build, and the face he recognized. _I watched him die._

"Vincent!" with that he threw himself forward, nearly knocking the boy in front of him to the ground. Booth caught him by the shoulder, firmly holding a hand on it as though he thought he would disappear. Booth just stared a moment, unable to speak. He was dead. Vincent Nigel-Murray was dead!

"Don't touch me!" he shouted, his voice strangely American sounding. He shoved Booth's hand off, struggling to get away.

"Vincent, it's me, Booth. What the Hell! I saw you _die_!" His logic argued with what he clearly saw in front of him. The same height, the same hair, the same face. It was him!

"Booth!" Bones called as she approached, "What are you doing?!"

"Bones..." he murmured, gesturing to the boy beside him. He wasn't looking at either of them, playing with a blue band around his wrist.

"My name's not Vincent." he said, clearly in distress, "My name is Gary."

"Vincent-"

"I'm Gary!" Booth looked to Bones for backup but she was staring in disbelief, unable to decide wether she should cry or scream. She had been there when he died but...well, she had seen Booth die once, too, only to find out it was a lie. She didn't want to hope, she didn't want the pain that churned in her heart, so she closed herself off, trying to convince her brain that it wasn't Mr. Nigel-Murray standing in front of her.

Booth, on the other hand, was determined to make Vincent understand. He didn't even know what, but he knew he wanted to hear him admit in that British accent that he hadn't died.

"Why are you here!"He demanded, grabbing both shoulders and practically shaking him, "What is this?!"

"Hey! HEY!" A man shouted, barreling out of one of the shops and shoving Booth backwards. He was a good size, just as tall as Booth and, although he wasn't as muscular, Booth staggered back a step.

"Hicks." The Vincent ghost said with an accusatory glance at Booth's feet, "That man was touching me. He hurt my shoulders, Hicks. You should punch him. He was touching me and I don't like to be touched."

"I got it, Gary." Hicks answered, taking an angry step between his friend and the man before him.

"Is there a problem?" he demanded.

"No. Theres no problem." Dr. Brennan said, taking her place at Booth's side. She tugged her partner's arm, trying to drag him away. "Booth. Booth, it's not him." she said, dragging him along. She refused to look at that Gary. She couldn't because it wasn't him. The signs of autism were very clear to Dr. Brennan, a behavior pattern that couldn't possibly be faked.

"It's not Mr. Nigel-Murray." suddenly Brennan didn't want to go into any store of any kind. She just wanted to be back in her lab, safe, comfortable, and surrounded by work.

Booth let her drag him, stiffly following her. He glanced back one last time before Bones practically forced him into the car, watching as Vinent-no, _Gary_ disappeared into the shop. There was an ache in his chest and too many questions left unanswered.

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**Good? bad? Please review! **


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